How we live in Space
Quick Facts Facts About the International Space Station: Mass: Currently 277,598 kg (612,000 pounds) Mass when assembly is completed: Approximately 419,600 kg (925,000 pounds). Altitude: The station is located at an altitude of 350 km (217 miles) above the Earth s surface. Pressurized volume: Approximately 1,000 cubic meters (33,023 cubic feet) when assembly is completed. Power generation: ISS is powered by solar arrays that can generate 110 kilowatt (147.5 horsepower) once assembled completely. Size: Truss 110 meters long (361 feet), module 70 meters (240 feet) in length when fully assembled. First module: Zarya functional cargo block launched in November 1998 Participating countries: United States, Japan, Canada, Russia and 11 European countries including France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom
Life on ISS Starting your day in Space...for real
Food At the beginning of the 1960's, space food was bite-sized or placed in aluminum tubes. The food was prepared this way so that they wouldn't be too heavy or take up too much space. From the 1970's, during the Apollo period, the number of space food items began to increase. Currently, there are about 150 different types of food. The meals are very similar to the meals we eat on Earth. Space foods are in plastic containers. Some space foods can resume their consistency by adding cold or hot water, while others can be heated up in the oven. Foods such as fruits, bread and nuts can be eaten just as they are. When drinking liquids, a straw is used to suck the liquid out of a sealed package. This is done so that it will not spill or possibly cause any damage to machines. At the International Space Station, 300 different types of food are planned to be on the menu.
Great Food Pictures
The Real Deal on Food
Clothing Inside the Space Shuttle, the air pressure is kept at 1 atmosphere, which is the same level as on earth. The temperature and humidity are controlled, so that, the astronauts can live comfortably. Therefore, except for the orange flight suits that are worn during launch and reentry, the astronauts do not need any special clothes. The astronauts dress in the same manner that we on Earth do. The astronauts are unable to do their laundry inside the Space Shuttle. So, the astronauts bring several sets of underwear to change everyday. They also bring extra cotton shirts and pants.
Sleep In the zero-gravity world, there are no "ups" or "downs". The astronauts can sleep anywhere facing any direction. But it's not good to be floating away somewhere while sleeping. So the astronauts use small sleeping compartments and sleeping bags. They will strap their bodies loosely so that their bodies will not float around while they sleep in the Space Shuttle. Eye masks and earplugs are also available for the astronauts who are unable to sleep due to the noise from air conditioning and other machines. The astronaut's sleeping cycle, while in the Space Shuttle, allocates eight hours for sleeping. However, in most cases, they will sleep for around 6 hours, since they often work long hours or they'll spend their time enjoying the view of the outside from the Shuttle's window.
Sleepy time
Sleepy time...
Bathroom... Inside the Space Shuttle, there are no wash basins or showers, but the Shuttles do have toilets. The toilet facility is 1 meter by 1 meter large. Both men and women use the same toilet. The toilet looks similar to a western style toilet that we use on Earth. However, there is a slight difference. The astronauts fasten their bodies to the toilet, so that, they won't float away. They then use a vacuum-cleaner-like machine to suck up the wastes. The wastes are then vacuum-dried. A curtain, not a door, partitions the toilet space. So, you may imagine the sounds from inside the toilet space could be heard outside. However, in the Shuttle, it is quite noisy. The sounds from the air conditioning fan, motors, and other noises are so loud that when you use the toilet, the sounds from inside the toilet space cannot be heard outside. In order to sit correctly on the 10 cm suction toilet opening, since their bodies will be floating in the air, the astronauts use a training device that's equipped with a camera.
The Bathroom on the ISS
Chilling out on the ISS
Sources http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/ teachingfromspace/dayinthelife/index.html http://iss.jaxa.jp/kids/en/life/index.html http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/ living.asp